Aaron Rodgers is unlikely to return to the Steelers, so what are his options for next season?

After Mike Tomlin resigned as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the future of Aaron Rodgers was also affected.

What seemed pretty obvious: Rodgers might not be returning to Pittsburgh now that Tomlin is gone, Steelers president Art Rooney II said Wednesday at a press conference.

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“Aaron came here to play for Mike. So that will probably factor into his decision,” Rooney said.

So what happens next for Rodgers if he wants to continue playing?

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His options will be limited. A few teams may need a quarterback, but that list will be short. It was short last season, but Rodgers and the Steelers needed each other and it was a successful one-year deal.

Here are Rodgers’ (few) options heading into the offseason:

Minnesota Vikings

This will complete the Brett Favre circle, from the Packers to the Jets to the Vikings to complete things. There was talk last season about Rodgers and the Vikings, but it didn’t make enough sense at the time. The Vikings wanted to see what they had in JJ McCarthy and it wouldn’t be a good idea to bring in Rodgers. After McCarthy struggled for much of his first season as a starter, the Vikings talked about adding depth to the quarterback room. Could it be Rodgers?

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In this case it may fit. It would be like the Indianapolis Colts bringing in Daniel Jones to compete with Anthony Richardson Sr. last season, after Richardson had two seasons of concern. It would also be incredible if Rodgers followed the same path as Favre (minus the one-year stop in Pittsburgh) at the end of his career.

Retirement

Rodgers played very well this past season. Considering the history of 42-year-old quarterbacks, it was amazing. Before Rodgers, only Tom Brady had any level of success at age 42. The history of quarterbacks at the age of 43 seems pretty bad. It’s too bad. Only seven quarterbacks to appear in one game at age 43 or older are Brady, George Blanda, Vinny Testaverde, Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, Steve DeBerg and Philip Rivers. Aside from Brady, Mfula led the team with an 80.2 passer rating in three games. Blanda leads with a passer rating of 66.1. It’s not good.

Maybe Rodgers can defy history again. But that is far from a guarantee. Rodgers indicated that the 2025 season was his last, and at the end of the season he kept the door open for a return in 2026. But clearly at his age, retirement is near. Coming off a tough season for his fourth team in five seasons is not the way any legend wants to leave the game.

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Wait around for it to open

Speaking of Philip Rivers, there are always quarterback injuries during the season. The teams are desperate. Even Rivers, after nearly five full seasons off and at age 44, got a call from a Colts team that had few options. In comparison, the 43-year-old Rodgers (he will be 42 until December) who played at a very high level last season, would be a popular call for a team in need of help. Rodgers could then assess each team’s potential playoff performance and make a late-season decision that best suits him.

Others

If Rodgers wants to join a team during the offseason — perhaps late in the season, given how long he waited last year to sign with the Steelers — there will be teams without the right quarterback situation. If the Dolphins pass on Tua Tagovailoa, they will need someone to play quarterback. The Jets may need a quarterback as well, but a deal is unlikely after how that relationship ended.

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Maybe the Steelers will come up as an option again if they go out of their way to get a quarterback, it seems unlikely that Rodgers will return now. It could be like last season, when Rodgers and the Steelers were the only realistic options for each other.

Maybe the Cardinals are calling? There aren’t many obvious answers outside of Minnesota, which is why Rodge’s return isn’t a sure thing.